


Sunbeams and Coffee

by Ashfen



Series: A Decade of Love [4]
Category: Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby (2013)
Genre: Fluff, Gatsby you cheeky bastard, M/M, natsby - Freeform, nick is an anxiety gay i dont make the rules
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-15
Updated: 2019-08-15
Packaged: 2020-09-01 07:39:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20254570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ashfen/pseuds/Ashfen
Summary: 1928.The two men share a calm morning together.





	Sunbeams and Coffee

_How odd. _The bed was normally soft, but for some reason, it was firm that morning. Peeking his eyes open, Nick looked down only for his face to quickly heat up.  
This _definitely _ was not the bed; it was a still sleeping Jay. Somehow they'd wound up tangled around each other on the couch, and the man wasn't quite ready to handle what that suggested just yet. So instead he slipped out of the other's arms while disturbing him as little as possible, heading into the kitchen to start brewing a pot of coffee. They'd been living together for few months now in a small apartment, and it was pleasant enough; far away from New York and the memories it held for both of them. Gatsby, seemingly roused by the smell of coffee, could be heard slowly getting off the sofa and making his way to the kitchen.  
“Hmm… good morning, old sport.”  
“Oh, can't remember my name this early in the morning?”  
“Not at all. Who are you again?”  
“I'm the man who makes your coffee now.”  
“Ah… My dear Nick.”

Nick enjoyed being able to speak so easily with him. The men both chuckled softly and Jay quietly wrapped an arm around him as they waited.  
"You're working today right?"  
"Yes, thank you. You're always so quick to remember everything… especially during arguments-"  
"_Anyway,_the coffee is going to take a little while; I'd suggest you get ready while you wait."  
Smiling gently, Jay lightly patted Nick's shoulder before pulling away and muttering to himself about wrinkles as he left the kitchen.  
He was finally starting to write again now, having been pulled out of a depression and a block since Gatsby had returned, and it wasn't uncommon for him to stay awake just as late as Jay did; the both of them quietly taking care of their work while enjoying the other's presence.  
A lot of things between them had changed since the events of years past, the memory of their reunion was still fresh in Nick's mind. He still would've preferred if they'd been somewhere more private, or at least out of the way of foot traffic, but it was in the past now. How odd they must've looked from the outside; two grown men just about clinging to each other in the middle of the sidewalk!

So much was different, yet one thing remained constant: Nick cared immensely for Gatsby, as Gatsby cared for him. Satisfied in that bit of comfort, he looked back toward the still softly brewing coffee pot and sighed contently. However, his anxieties began to get the better of him, and the comfort was short-lived. Was this a relationship? Was this love? What were they?  
He didn't have time to think about it; Gatsby returned with his hair neatly combed back in a fresh set of clothes, and his soft smile seemed to tell him to calm down, so Nick did his best to oblige.  
"The coffee is almost done, Jay."  
"Is it, now? About how long do you think it will take?"  
"Hm... I'd say another few minutes."  
"That should be more than enough time, then."  
"Enough time for what?"  
"To put it simply, enough time for this."  
With that Jay kissed him; it wasn't exactly deep, but it was far from brief.

A little bit shocked when he pulled away, Nick opened his mouth to speak, but he just couldn't seem to find the words.  
At least, not the words he wanted to say.  
"The, ah, the coffee."  
"Hm? What about it?"  
"... It should be done now."  
"I see. Well, thank you for making the pot, old sport."  
"Of course, Jay."  
With that, the older smiled lightly and Nick stepped aside for him to grab two cups for them, watching him carefully pour each one to the brim. Nick sighed softly.  
"Jay, that's easily the fastest way to wind up with coffee stains on a suit."  
"It's only a problem if you don't have steady hands old sport."  
"I suppose you've forgotten that I have tremors?"  
He smirked playfully. Oh dear, that was never a good sign.  
"Of course I haven't forgotten; this is simply an excuse to get a favor out of you, old sport."  
There it was. Nick sighed and shook his head as he took his cup.  
"I'll just drink it over the sink… what did you need, Jay?"  
"Ah, but you'll say no if it's a request old sport! That's why it simply must be a favor."

Skeptical, his lips pursed.  
"Jay?"  
"Yes, my dear and sweet-"  
"Jay."  
"Ah. Yes, Nick?"  
"What exactly do you intend to do?"  
"Here's the thing old sport; I can't tell you. It'll ruin the mystery-"  
"Jay-"  
"Well I should be going now; I'd rather not be late for work today after all."  
With that he finished off the coffee and gently placed the cup in the sink, smiling over at Nick before making his way out of the apartment. It was odd watching him walk, he seemed to have a sort of pep to it without giving way to moving exactly quickly. Nick treated it as a burden, but Gatsby's spontaneous, almost teasing nature was something that had never really changed even after all those years, something he greatly appreciated. However, now was not the time for… idle thoughts. Just because Nick wasn't working in an office, didn't mean he wasn't on a schedule.

So he sipped enough of his coffee to lessen his worries about spillage, then left to his writing desk.  
Writing The Great Gatsby had only been the start of things; within that time Nick had begun to write queer romance novels, one of which he was returning to now.  
"The two intertwined in passion, and their… lips seemed… magnetically drawn to each other." Nick mumbled the words under his breath as he typed, the clacking of the typewriter offering a sort of comfort as he continued to write. Over time, his eyelids started to droop, and the last thing he remembered was a passing thought that resting his eyes wouldn't be an issue.

•

_Nick quietly watched people go by, blankly taking in their faces and listening to their overlapping voices. _  
_He needed to get out of New York. Everything reminded him of Gatsby now, especially that now-empty mansion.  
_ _Sighing, he had been about to start heading back when a distinct voice caught his ear, and Nick was already turning to find its source before he had even processed it in his mind._

Gatsby.

_His hair was slicked back in the same way he'd always had it at his parties, the way he moved and smiled, it was all the same. _  
_He began moving all at once before he could even think, steadily marching towards him and before he knew it Nick was standing firmly in front of the other; taking in every aspect of his expression.  
_ _"Nick?" His voice was soft, disbelieving. Hell, Nick was even left in tongue-tied silence as he gave a slight and shaky nod, tensing up when Gatsby grabbed him. What did he expect the man to do? Squeeze him to death? Kiss him?_

_Well. The latter might've been pleasant.  
But instead, Gatsby held him close, tightly and wordlessly wrapping his arms around Nick's frame. At that moment, more than anything else, all he could think about was how long he spent thinking he was dead; the utter feelings of isolation and misery of that time came rushing back to his heart, and within seconds Nick's eyes were spilling freely with tears. With nothing left to do, he embraced the man as if his life depended on it; it's possible that it did at that moment as his long aching soul finally found solace in a beam of hope one could only call Jay Gatsby._


End file.
